21, to old to learn guitar?

Too old?! Absolutely not!

I'd go with an acoustic as it's about as simple as you can get... no wires/batteries/amps to worry about; for the price of an electric all in with the goodies etc you could buy a very nice acoustic. But that's just me (I already have all of that other stuff for 2 bass guitars).

The only important thing to remember is how much time you spend learning to play. Unless you are tone deaf, the more hours you put in the more you will get out of playing an instrument.

Start simple, but learn to play what you like to listen to. Have a few basic lessons (or buy a chord book etc) and before you know it the basics will have become second nature and the more advanced stuff will follow in due course.

;)
 
I started age 20, and in under 6 months I was a better than everyone I knew, which at the time was about 6 friends who also played. Now that says more for them than it does for me, but I was playing barre chords and simple solos, knew scales, modes (my mates didn't even know they existed) and was happily playing riffs from my favourite songs. I did go at it full on though. If I wasn't going out, I'd come home from work, eat, shower, then play solidly for 3 hours minimum. That went on for years.

I've played for almost 18 years now, and I reckon in 3 - 5 years I was 90% as good as I am now. In fact I was probably better then as I'm out of practice recently.

I've been thinking about getting Rocksmith to get me to play more, but due to having to go to work, I missed Amazon's sale on it and I don't want to pay full price in case I hate it.
 
I think you're never too old, but you need to have the right environment to learn properly and be able to practice most days. At 28 I was dead set on learning cello, but living with family made it difficult to get practice time in between weekly lessons, and now I live in a flat with lots of neighbours it's on the back burner.
 
I think you're never too old, but you need to have the right environment to learn properly and be able to practice most days. At 28 I was dead set on learning cello, but living with family made it difficult to get practice time in between weekly lessons, and now I live in a flat with lots of neighbours it's on the back burner.

Very true and this is why an electric guitar with an headphone amp or into computer with headphones is perfect for not upsetting anybody else. Many instruments aren't family or neighbour friendly.
 
Very true and this is why an electric guitar with an headphone amp or into computer with headphones is perfect for not upsetting anybody else. Many instruments aren't family or neighbour friendly.

I remember many an occaision sporting my headphones and rocking right out with my **** out (maybe not literally), and opening my screwface to see my one of my family at my bedroom door trying to get my attention. Must be quite funny seeing that along with plinky plinky twing twang twoooong.
 
Very true and this is why an electric guitar with an headphone amp or into computer with headphones is perfect for not upsetting anybody else. Many instruments aren't family or neighbour friendly.

You could stick something under the strings at the bridge or stuff the body with t shirts etc to quieten down an acoustic too - would ruin the the sound but would at least allow practice in less sociable situations.
 
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